SATURDAY'S SCORES
Eastern Illinois 14-7, @Western Illinois 5-4
Lindenwood 7, @Southern Indiana 6
@Little Rock 4, Southeast Missouri 2
@Tennessee Tech 15, Morehead State 0
@SIUE 6-9,
UT Martin 5-11
WESTERN ILLINOIS 14-7, EASTERN ILLINOIS 5-4
MACOMB, Ill. - Eastern Illinois (9-18, 4-5 OVC) completed their first series sweep of the season with a pair of double header road wins against Western Illinois (6-21, 2-7 OVC) on Saturday. The Panthers won game one in dominant fashion before needing a ninth inning rally to take game two.
In Saturday's opening contest, EIU rolled to a 14-5 victory behind some great pitching from Bryce Riggs and five multi-run innings.
After a scoreless first inning, the Panthers offense took off with consecutive home runs by Grant Lashure Quade Peters, and Dylan Drumke. Lashure's long ball plated two before Peters' and Drumke's solo shots put EIU up 4-0.
Western got one run back in the bottom half the second, but the third and fourth innings were quiet for both teams.
Michael O'Conor broke the silence in the fifth with a two-run homer down the left field line to extend the Panther's lead to 6-1.
Eastern would pile on a few more runs in the sixth, as a bases loaded walk by Quade Peters brought home Tyler Castro before Peters and Grant Lashure eventually scored on a throwing error by the Leathernecks third baseman.
After WIU scored a run in the bottom of the sixth, EIU responded with a pair of RBI singles by Lashure and Peters to make the score 11-2 at the seventh inning stretch.
While the offense was throwing up crooked numbers, starting pitcher Bryce Riggs was holding things down on the bump. Riggs went seven complete innings, allowing just five hits and two runs with nine strikeouts.
Both teams tacked on a few runs in the final two innings, resulting in a final score of 14-5 as the Panthers locked up their first series win of the season.
Riggs (2-1) picked up the win while Colton Kachinsky (0-3) suffered the loss
.
EIU was led offensively by Grant Lashure (3-4, HR, 3 RBI) and Quade Peters (2-3, HR, 3 RBI) as the Panthers matched their second highest run total of the season.
While EIU led the entire first game, the second was nearly the exact opposite with the Panthers never holding a lead until the ninth inning. Eastern plated five runs in their final at bat to surge ahead and secure the sweep.
Unlike in the series' first two games, the Leathernecks struck first in the finale with a pair of runs in each of the first two innings.
After no runs were scored in the third, the Panthers offense broke through in the fourth inning as Grant Lashure picked up another RBI with a sacrifice fly and Tyler Castro scored on a throwing error by the Western pitcher on a pickoff attempt.
The Leathernecks threatened to break the game open in the fifth as they loaded the bases with no outs. However, EIU reliever Casey Perrenoud locked in and struck out the next two batters swinging before getting a pop out to shallow right to escape the inning damage free.
Perrenoud had a fantastic outing for Eastern, as he gave up zero runs on two hits with five strikeouts through four and one third innings of work.
Heading into the ninth inning, the score held steady at 4-2 Western Illinois. However, with the game on the line, an EIU offense that had been held in check for much of the afternoon began finding some holes in the Western defense.
With one away, Trenton Pallas got the rally started with a double down the left field line that drove in Danny Infante, who had initially reached on a lead off walk.
In the next at bat, Grant Lashure lofted a ball high into center field for what should have been a routine fly out. However, the WIU fielder dropped the ball which allowed Pallas to score the tying run on an error while Lashure ended up on base as the go-ahead.
Go ahead the Panthers would, as Quade Peters stepped to the plate and delivered an extra base hit to plate Lashure from second, which gave Eastern their first lead of the game.
Now with the top of the order up, Dylan Drumke provided some insurance with a two-run bomb to center field that put the Panthers up 7-4.
Jonathon Hanscom was inserted in the ninth inning and retired all three batters he faced to secure his second save of the season and finish off the series sweep for EIU.
Lukas Touma (1-0) was credited with the win after giving up zero runs with a strikeout through 1.2 innings of relief work.
Dylan Drumke kept things rolling at the plate, going 2-5 with a home run and two RBI, while Trenton Pallas had a three-hit outing with an RBI.
LINDENWOOD 7, SOUTHERN INDIANA 6
EVANSVILLE, Ind. - Lindenwood baseball (9-21, 3-5 OVC) took game two of a three game series against Southern Indiana by a final score of 7-6. The Lions capitalized on three errors by the Screaming Eagles to get their third win in the Ohio Valley Conference.
Carson Subbert (W, 1-1) picked up the win in relief today as he threw 3.2 innings allowing four hits and one run with five strikeouts. Starter Eli Brown (ND) picked up the no decision after throwing the first 4.1 innings allowing five runs. Preston Salazar got his first save of the season throwing the final inning picking up two strikeouts along the way.
Filip Sarota went 3-5 at the plate while Bryson Arnette went 2-3 with two walks. Four different Lions had an RBI including two in the top of the ninth inning including the game winning run.
The Lions struck first in the second inning after Sarota and Evan Funkhouser complied a double steal to score the first run of the game. USI would tie the game in the third to even the score at 1-1.
Lindenwood would go on to score three in the fourth inning to extend their lead to 4-1. Tyson Ludwig scored on a throwing error by the catcher to bring home the first. Mitch Cummins was hit by a hit pitch to bring home the second run while Dawons Hokuf added another RBI for the Lions.
The Screaming Eagles retaliated in the fifth scoring four runs to take their first lead of the afternoon at 6-4. USI ended the game scoring six runs on 12 hits while Lindenwood had 11.
Lindenwood would then proceed to score three runs in the top of the ninth inning to secure the game for the Lions. Tyson Ludwig had an RBI single to start things off and was followed by an RBI single by Funkhouser to tie the game. Ambrose Russo scored the final run on a wild pitch to get the win for the Lions. Salazar shutdown USI in the ninth to get the Lions third OVC win of the season.
LITTLE ROCK 4, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 2
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - The Little Rock Trojans improve to 17-14 on the year and 6-2 in OVC play after taking game 2 of the SEMO series. The Redhawks fall to 5-3 in conference play and 14-17 overall.
It was all knotted up in the first 2 innings as neither team could generate any offense. Ben Harmon got it all started in the bottom of the third with a solo home run to left field. This would be the only run through 5 full innings of play.
In the sixth inning, both teams put runs on the board as SEMO led off the inning with a solo shot of their own. Nico Baumbach responded with a double. After advancing to third on a wild pitch, Baumbach was brought home with a sacrifice fly by Luke Pectol.
The Trojans then added 2 insurance runs in the ninth after a series of doubles. First, Alex Seguine found himself in scoring position with a double to left field. Ty Rhoades would switch positions with him as he knocked an RBI double to right field. Nico Baumbach would then add another double to left field allowing Ty Rhoades to score.
Heading into the ninth inning, Little Rock held a 3 run lead. SEMO responded with a home run in the ninth to cut the lead to 2. This, however, would not be enough to surmount the Trojans' lead.
TENNESSEE TECH 15, MOREHEAD STATE 0
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. - If you've ever had one of those days when everything just seems to go your way, you could relate to the Tennessee Tech baseball team and its performance at Quillen Field and Bush Stadium at the Averitt Express Baseball Complex, a dominant, 15-0 victory over Ohio Valley Conference rival Morehead State.
A pristine presentation of pitching by Peyton Calitri powered the purple and gold on one side of the diamond while a barrage of barrels by the Tech bats battered the visiting Eagles (17-13, 4-4) all day. In just two hours and 11 minutes, the Golden Eagles (18-13, 5-3) slapped together 20 hits, 15 runs, and eight extra-base knocks while surrendering just four hits in the shutout.
Calitri set the table for the feast, setting retiring the side in order in the top of the first on the power of a pair of punch-outs. The Tech offense instantly went on the attack and never looked back.
A base hit by left fielder Austin Turner, a walk to second baseman Troy Baunsgard, and another base knock by catcher Hayden Gilliland loaded the bags in the blink of an eye. First baseman Nicho Jordan made it pay off, slapping a run-scoring single to right field.
Designated hitter Preston Ford continued the trend with a seed to right-center field to plate another run. Tech's third run of the ball game crossed on a double-play ball before right fielder Theo Bryant IV made it a 4-0 Golden Eagle lead with an RBI, infield single to third base.
Calitri turned around and swiftly set down the side numerically again, securing two more swinging strikeouts. For good measure, the Golden Eagle bats stepped in to provide even more insurance for their starter, racking up another six runs.
Center fielder Jackson Green set the tone, smashing a solo, lead-off blast to left field for his second home-run trot of the season. Morehead appeared to be on its way out of trouble after gathering a pair of quick outs, but the purple and gold had much more to show.
Gilliland ripped a double to right-center field before Jordan drew a six-pitch walk. Eliciting a pitching change, Tech continued to roll anyway with Ford following with an infield knock to third base. Shortstop Tanner Shiver peppered a shot through the left side for two ribbies and a 7-0 lead.
With the train already rolling, Bryant just fed more fuel to the fire by lacing a two-run double down the right-field line. Unsatisfied, third baseman Eddie Garza dropped a ground-rule double into right-center field to score one more in the inning and make it a 10-0 Tech advantage.
The third inning allowed Calitri to continue to show off, as the senior struck out the side to bring his K tally up to seven for the ball game. Ford increased the Golden Eagle lead to 11-0 in the bottom half of the frame with an RBI double down the right-field line.
Tech's offense picked up two more runs in the fifth after Calitri spun two more shut-out frames, with Ford again delivering. The senior singled softly to second base to plate the team's 12th run of the game. Making it a baker's dozen, Shiver shot a run-plating triple down the right-field line, his third three-bagger of the year.
Morehead State finally produced a scoring threat in the sixth with a pair of hits, but Calitri worked his way around it. The Tech ace retired the final eight batters he faced, setting down the side with one strikeout in each of the seventh and eighth frames.
Calitri ended his incredible performance with eight shutout innings of work, scattering three hits and a walk while fanning 10 Morehead batters. He also earned his league-leading fifth victory and now leads the OVC with a 2.04 ERA and 53.0 innings pitched.
Tech tacked on two final markers in the eighth, beginning the frame with a double off the wall in left field by Bryant. Garza followed by pulverizing a two-run jack to right field for his second round-tripper of the year.
Ford led the Golden Eagle offense with a 4-for-5 day, three RBI, and two runs scored. Bryant finished with three hits and three ribbies while scoring twice while Shiver drove in a trio of runs on two hits.
Garza also plated three runs, using a pair of extra-base knocks to do his damage. Green, Turner, Baunsgard, and Gilliland all tacked on multi-hit efforts, with Baunsgard scoring three times along the way.
Rookie Juan Vargas finished off the joint shutout with a scoreless ninth frame.
SIUE 6-9, UT MARTIN 5-11
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - SIUE baseball won its second Ohio Valley Conference series of the year, taking two of three from UT Martin after a doubleheader split Saturday at Roy E. Lee Field.
The Cougars won game one of the doubleheader 6-5 before dropping game two 11-9 in 10 innings.
SIUE moved to 5-4 in OVC play and 11-21 overall. UT Martin is 4-5 on the OVC and 12-21 overall.
The Cougars got out in front in a hurry in game one when Lucas Spence led off the first inning with a home run down the right field line.
UT Martin went ahead with two in the second inning, but the Cougars tied things with a run in the third inning on a Ryan NiedzWiedz single. Niedzwiedz connected for a two-run home run in the fifth inning to push the Cougars' lead to 4-2.
The Skyhawks tied the game again with a two-run home run from Blaze Bell in the sixth. The Cougars' regained the lead when Zack Floyd reached on an error, allowing a run to score in the bottom of the inning. SIUE then made it 6-4 with three hits in the eighth inning, including a run-scoring single from Drew Mize.
UT Martin pushed a run across in the ninth, but couldn't get another.
Joseph Martin (2-0) finished the sixth inning to pick up the win. Alex Rodriguez started and tossed 5.2 innings. He gave up three runs on four hits. He struck out five.
Liam McKillop started the ninth before Duncan McLaughlin finished the game to earn his third save of the year. He struck out two.
Mac Danford's two-run home run in the top of the 10th inning gave UT Martin the 11-9 win in game two.
Kyle Athmer (1-2) gave up the home run. He allowed the two runs in 1.1 innings in relief. Garrett Helsel allowed just a run in 4.1 innings in relief.
Danford's homer came an inning after the Skyhawks tied the game on a Hunter McLean two-run homer in the top of the ninth.
With the game tied 7-7 in the bottom of the eighth inning, Drew Mize led off the frame with an infield hit. Lucas Spence reached on bunt base hit. Both runners moved up on a sacrifice bunt by Chase Bloomer. Ryn Niedzwiedz was intentionally walked and Ethan Willoughby lined a two-run single into short center field to put the Cougars up 9-7.
Niedzwiedz and John Stallcup hit solo home runs in the first and second innings, respectively to get SIUE out to a 2-0 lead.
After UT Martin picked up a run in the top of third, the Cougars got a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning. Back-to-back singles from Lucas Spence and Chase Bloomer started the inning before Niedzwiedz was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Ethan Willoughby scored on a fielder's choice hit to second and Bloomer stole home on a double steal with Willoughby, who stole second base.
The Skyhawks scored five times off a pair of SIUE relievers in the fourth inning and then added a run in the sixth to lead 7-4.
SIUE used three consecutive one-out hits in the sixth to score twice. Mack Mitchell and Drew Mize each doubled before Spence tripled. Spence then scored on a sacrifice fly by Chase Bloomer to tie the score at 7-7.
UT Martin outhit SIUE 15-13 in game two.
Mize finished with six hits and two RBIs in the doubleheader. Spence was 5-10 with five runs scored. With multiple hits in each game, Spence extended his hitting streak to a team-best 17 games. It is the longest for SIUE since the 2009 season.
Niedzwiedz had four hits and four RBIs for the day.